James Joyce's 'Ulysses' (1922) is often cited as the most important novel of the 20th century, yet it was banned for years in several countries due to its 'obscenity.' The novel parallels Homer’s 'Odyssey' but takes place over a single day—June 16, 1904—in Dublin. Joyce used the 'stream of consciousness' technique to an extreme, famously ending the book with a 50-page unpunctuated monologue from the character Molly Bloom. Joyce claimed he wrote the book to 'keep the professors busy for centuries,' and indeed, the novel is packed with puns, multilingual references, and complex symbolism. Today, fans around the world celebrate 'Bloomsday' every June 16 by visiting the locations mentioned in the book. Joyce's work pushed the boundaries of what language could do, eventually leading to the even more experimental and challenging 'Finnegans Wake.'